Convertible vehicle with a rear window, which can be moved in a guideway

ABSTRACT

A convertible vehicle ( 1 ) with a roof ( 2 ), which can be folded up and is provided with a rear window ( 8 ) and has, at the rear, two lateral clamping collars ( 5; 6 ) which are essentially triangular in plan view, the rear window ( 8 ) being held movably in a guideway ( 10 ) with a roof frame part ( 11 ), assigned to the roof ( 2 ) and a car body frame part ( 12 ), which is assigned to the car body and, in the closed position of the roof ( 2 ) being movable at least regionally from a closed normal position into a lowered position, is constructed so that the clamping collars ( 5; 6 ) are connected firmly with one another over a transverse connecting part ( 13 ) and, between the roof frame part ( 11 ) and the car body frame part ( 12 ), an interruption ( 10   c ) is provided in the guideway ( 10 ) for the passage of the transverse connecting part ( 13 ) during the folding up of the roof ( 2 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a convertible vehicle with a foldable roof, which is provided with a rear window, as defined in the introductory portion of claim 1.

[0002] Such a convertible vehicle, on the one hand, can be used with a completely open roof and, on the other, when the roof is closed, offers the possibility of opening the rear windows separately. For this purpose, a modular shaft can be provided, which has an opening gap, intended for the rear window and sealed at the top. In this connection, it must be ensured that the rear window can be transferred from a roof frame part, without being tilted, into a car body frame part of the module and vice versa. In addition, for opening the roof while the rear window is in the closed position, it must be possible to tilt the rear window without having it collide with the module in the car body, accommodating it and sealed towards the top.

[0003] It is an object of the invention to provide advantageous relationships in this regard.

[0004] Pursuant to the invention, this objective is accomplished with the distinguishing feature of claim 1. Further advantageous developments of the invention are given in claims 2 to 8.

[0005] By the cross-connection of the triangular clamping collar, a high torsional rigidity is achieved and the possibility that the lateral parts of the roof can tilt towards one another is avoided. The precision of the folding and unfolding of the roof is improved by these means. Accordingly, a very accurate course of movement can be maintained, which also makes possible small tolerances and distances of the components from one another.

[0006] By means of the inventive interruption of the guideway, it is ensured that the cross-connection part can be pushed over the upper edge of the module on the car-body side when the roof is unfolded, without causing a collision.

[0007] If two lateral intermediate guiding parts are disposed in the interruption, the rear window can be moved with little clearance in the guideway. The guidance of the window is improved by these means, especially when the window is raised from the lowered position.

[0008] The cross-connecting part may be constructed, for example, as a pipe, so that the costs of preparing such a component are slight.

[0009] An optically particularly unobtrusive arrangement of the cross-connecting part can be achieved when this part is disposed below the plane of a rear part of the cover, covering this transverse connecting part in the opened state of the roof. To avoid a collision while opening the roof, the cross-connecting part, together with the intermediate guiding parts firmly connected to it, can be moved in a guideway extending upward and rearward. Such arrangements are advantageous particularly in a convertible, in which the rear window stands essentially vertically even in the closed position.

[0010] Further advantages and details arise out of the example of the object of the invention, shown in the drawing and described in the following.

[0011] In the drawing,

[0012]FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the rear roof region of an inventive convertible,

[0013]FIG. 2 shows a view from direction II onto the rod linkage parts supporting the roof,

[0014]FIG. 3 shows a view, similar to that of FIG. 2, while the rear clamping collar is being swiveled up,

[0015]FIG. 4 shows a view, similar to that of FIG. 3 while the roof is being folded up and

[0016]FIG. 5 shows a view, similar to that of FIG. 4, with the roof folded up completely.

[0017] The convertible vehicle 1 comprises the roof 2 which can be folded up and, in the rear region has two lateral end regions 3, 4, which are essentially triangular and can be stretched by the clamping collar, 5, 6 which bring about the triangular configuration by these outline contour, on a rear portion 7 of the lid.

[0018] A rear window 8 is disposed, in the driving direction F, in front of and between the lateral end regions 3, 4. When the roof is closed, the rear window 8 is almost vertical or inclined slightly towards the vertical. From its normal position, which closes off the roof 2 towards the rear, the rear window 8 can be moved into a lowering position, in which it is held in a module 9 at the side of the car body. This module comprises lateral guideway sections 10 a of a guideway 10. In the closed position, the rear window 8 is held in a U-shaped frame 11, which is open downward and comprises the lateral sections 10 b of the guideway 10 for moving the rear window 8 up and down. Between the roof frame part 11 and the car body frame part 12, there is an interruption 10 c of the guideway 10, so that the partial sections 10 a and 10 b are at a vertical distance from one another.

[0019] The lateral clamping collars 5, 6 are connected with one another by a cross-connecting part 13, which is constructed here as a pipe. Extruded sections or other longitudinal components also come into consideration. In the region 10 c of the interruption to the guideway, intermediate guiding parts 14 are disposed, which are connected rigidly with the transverse connecting part 13 and in the closed position of the roof 2, are aligned flush with the guideway 10, that is, form a continuation of the sections 10 a and 10 b. In the example, the intermediate guiding parts 14 have a U-cross section, as do the roof frame part 11 and the car body frame part 12. L-shape guides also come into consideration at lease partially, depending on the construction.

[0020] To open the roof while the rear window 8 is closed, initially the lateral clamping collars 5 and 6 are swiveled upward, the cross-connecting part 13, held in the closed position below the upper edge of the module, passing through the interruption 10 c with the intermediate guiding part 14 and, by these means, making possible the swiveling up of the rear clamping collars 5, 6 in the direction of the arrow 15. At the same time, the cross-connecting part 13 is lifted over the car body frame part 12, without colliding with the module 9 or the lateral car body frame parts 12. For folding up the roof 2 further, the roof frame part 11, as a component of a rear transverse frame 17, is swiveled about the swiveling axis 18 in the direction of the arrow 19. At the same time the clamping collars 5, 6 are shifted downward in the direction of the arrow 20. In the completely folded up position (FIG. 5), the cross-connecting part 13, as well as the intermediate guiding part 14, which is firmly connected with the former, as well as the roof frame part 11 lie far below the upper edge of the lateral guide rail 12 of the module 9, over which the clamping collars 5, 6 with their transverse connecting part 13 were lifted. The guideway of the cross-connecting part 13 was therefore initially directed upward and rearward and, as the roof was opened further, was directed essentially downward. Over all, for the cross-connecting part 13, a guideway is therefore attained, which is superimposed in side view and comprises a lifting motion and a swiveling motion and which is also followed by the clamping collars 5, 6, which are firmly connected with the cross-connecting part 13. This can be attained, particularly, over a steering rod, which is connected over a swiveling guide and a tie member with a rear part of the roof frame, a bearing of the steering rod being guided in an elongated hole connecting link, in order to attain the lifting motion.

[0021] The intermediate guiding parts 14, like the transverse connecting part 13, may consist of steel, in order to ensure adequate mechanical stability by these means. Other materials, such as plastic, also come into consideration for the intermediate guiding parts 14. It is also possible to leave the interruption 10 c without an intermediate guiding piece 14. 

1. A convertible vehicle (1) with a roof (2), which can be folded up and is provided with a rear window (8) and has, at the rear, two lateral clamping collars (5; 6), which are essentially triangular in plan view, the rear window (8) being held movably in a guideway (10) with a roof frame part (11), assigned to the roof (2) and a car body frame part (12), which is assigned to the car body and, in the closed position of the roof (2) being movable at least regionally from a closed normal position into a lowered position, wherein the clamping collars (5; 6) are connected firmly with one another over a transverse connecting part (13) and, between the roof frame part (11) and the car body frame part (12), an interruption (10 c) is provided in the guideway (10) for the passage of the transverse connecting part (13) during the folding up of the roof (2).
 2. The convertible vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, in the interruption (10 c), two lateral intermediate guiding parts (14) are disposed, which can be aligned flush with the guideway (10 b) of the roof frame part (11) and (10 a) of the car body frame part (12).
 3. The convertible vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the intermediate guiding parts (14) are firmly connected with the transverse connecting part (13).
 4. The convertible vehicle of one of the claims 2 or 3, wherein the intermediate guiding parts (14) have an L-shaped or U-shaped cross section.
 5. The convertible vehicle of one of the claims 1 to 4 , wherein the guideway (10) for the rear window (8) has a U-shaped or L-shaped cross section in the roof frame part (11) is as well as in the car body frame part (12).
 6. The convertible vehicle of one of the claims 1 to 5 , wherein the transverse connecting part (13) is constructed as a pipe.
 7. The convertible vehicle of one of the claims 1 to 6 , wherein the transverse connecting part (13), in the closed state of the roof (2), is disposed below the plane of a part (7), covering the roof in the opened state.
 8. The convertible vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the transverse connecting part (13), for opening the roof (2), can be moved with the intermediate guiding parts (14) in a guideway initially extending upward and rearward. 